Poor Gloria Hunniford. Bad enough having to deal with internet smirks about how the star of Rip Off Britain has herself been targeted by thieves who drained £120,000 from her account.

But how much more galling for a woman whose trademark throughout her long career has been her elegance, her age-defying looks and her meticulous grooming to find out that the Gloria “lookalike” who spearheaded the scam is revealed on CCTV footage to be a barrel-bellied old bat in drawstring trousers and gutties.

But there’s nothing comical about a case that involves cold and calculating theft on such a scale.

Gloria Hunniford as we know, is an enormously, heroically, strong woman has come through much, much greater adversity in life than this.

And while I doubt if she gives two hoots about the appearance of her so-called lookalike, there is that cruel, poignant twist of this vile trio posing as Gloria, her “daughter” and her “grandson”.

Given the real Gloria’s terrible past loss what a contemptible, cynical, low act. And speaking of contemptible...

The youth who played the role of Gloria’s “grandson” and now finds himself spared prison because he is apparently off to university (what’s he studying? Larceny?) should count himself lucky he’s been treated so leniently. Many might say, a bit too leniently...